Landmarks 1883-1943

1883

JulyA choir of more than 20 men, who were all members of the Treorchy Mixed Choir, won the first prize of £1 for their performance of “Myfanwy” at an eisteddfod in the Red Cow Hotel, Treorchy.

OctoberThe newly formed Treorky Male Choir won thirty shillings for their performance in the Corner House Hotel, Treherbert.

1885

SpringWilliam Thomas became the Conductor of the Treorky Male Choir and led them to victory at an eisteddfod in St Fagans on Whitsun weekend where they won £5 for their performance of “Comrades in Arms”.

1888

AugustThe Choir won the Royal National Eisteddfod at Brecon.

1891

AugustThe Choir gained the second prize in the Royal National Eisteddfod, Swansea.

1893

AugustThe Choir gained the second prize in the Royal National Eisteddfod, Pontypridd against their greatest rivals, the Rhondda Glee Society. The winning choir performed at the Chicago World Fair.

1895

MayThe Choir won the Semi-National Eisteddfod in Caerphilly.

AugustThe Treorky Male Choir won the Royal National Eisteddfod, Llanelli.

September The Countess of Dunraven invited the Choir to perform a Dunraven Castle near Bridgend.

November The Choir gave a series of seven celebrity concerts at the Panoptican Theatre, Cardiff.

November 29 The Royal Command Performance before Queen Victoria and the Royal Family at Windsor Castle.

December 13 Conductor William Thomas received a bejewelled baton from Queen Victoria.

1896

January 2 A celebratory dinner was held in the Drill Hall, Pentre, for the Treorky Male Choir. William Thomas selected 25 choristers to form the Royal Welsh Male Choir.

1897

April The last recorded existence of the original Treorky Male Choir was in an eisteddfod under the conductorship of John Bebb.

1917

December The first recorded existence of the newly formed Treorchy & District Male Voice Choir. Conducted by John Pugh, rehearsals were held in Park Hall, Cwmparc.

1921

October The Choir gained the third prize in the Mountain Ash Welsh Musical Festival.

1922

June Under the baton of John Pugh, the Choir won an eisteddfod at the Opera House, Treherbert.

June Gwilym T. Jones became the Conductor of the Treorchy & District Male Voice Choir.

November The Choir won an eisteddfod at Williamstown Wesleyan Church.

1923

July A celebrity concert was held at Bethania Chapel, Treorchy.

1924

January The Choir gained the first prize at an eisteddfod in the Workmen’s Hall, Ferndale.

April The Choir won the first prize of a silver cup at the Eighth Annual Chair Eisteddfod in Ferndale. During the same weekend they also gained the first prize at an eisteddfod in Gilfach Goch Workmen’s Hall.

May The Choir won an eisteddfod in Pontypridd.

June The Choir performed with the Parc and Dare Silver Band at Ystradfechan Park before the Duke of York. Later that month they won two local eisteddfodau at Llandaff and Pontypridd.

August Travelling by charabanc, the Choir competed in five eisteddfodau in one day at Lampeter, Glynderwen, Newcastle Emlyn, Burry Port and Carmarthen. They won all five competitions.

November 19 The Choir performed at the Central Hall, Westminster, London.

1925

March The Choir won eisteddfodau in Ferndale and Ynysybwl.

June 5 Under the baton of Gwilym T. Jones the Choir won the Pontypridd Semi National Eisteddfod.

1927

May The Choir won an eisteddfod in Pontypridd .

October Following the resignation of Gwilym T. Jones, John Isaac Jones became the new Conductor of the Treorchy & District Male Voice Choir.

1929

August 10 The Choir won the first prize in an eisteddfod in Pontarddulais. The adjudicator was Sir Hugh Roberton.

1930

April The Choir gained second prize in the South Wales Chair Eisteddfod, Treorchy.

1932

November The Choir won the £75 first prize at an eisteddfod in the Central Hall, Westminster, London.

1933

July 22 Following the resignation of John Isaac Jones, W.D.Evans became the Conductor of the Treorchy & District Male Voice Choir.

1934

March The Choir won the Treorchy Semi-National Eisteddfod. Later that month they also gained the first prize at an eisteddfod in Porthcawl.

1935

April The Choir won the Porthcawl Easter Eisteddfod.

June 10 The Choir gained the first prize at an eisteddfod in Llanelli.

October 22 The Choir made their first radio broadcast from the Park & Dare Hall, Treorchy.

November For the third consecutive time, the Choir won the Musical Festival at Central Hall, Westminster, London.

1936

April For the third consecutive year the Choir won the Porthcawl Eisteddfod.

June 2 The Choir won the Treorchy Semi National Eisteddfod.

1938

May The Choir won the Treorchy Chair Eisteddfod.

July Mr W.D. Evans resigned and Arthur Davies was appointed Conductor of the Treorchy & District Male Voice Choir.

September John Haydn Davies was appointed Assistant Conductor and Tom Jones was appointed Assistant Accompanist.

1939

May The Choir performed a celebrity concert in the Park & Dare Hall, Treorchy. The first half of the concert was broadcast by the BBC.

1941

May The Choir won the Treorchy Chair Eisteddfod.

September Following the death of accompanist Tom Knapgate at the age of 49, Tom Jones became the Accompanist of the Choir.

1943

May The last recorded existence of the Choir was at the South Wales Chair Eisteddfod in the Park & Dare Hall, Treorchy. The Choir gained the first prize.